Therapeutic dressings and medicated pads which will absorb the discharge of bodily fluids are generally well-known in the medical arts and in the medical industry. In the rectal perineal area, such dressings are required for use by persons affected by minor uncontrollable discharge of fecal products associated with pathological conditions of the colon and rectum. By way of example, patients who have had rectal or colon surgery often have some degree of incontinence associated with deterioration of the rectal sphincter muscles. Paraplegic and quadriplegic persons also often have an associated paralysis of the sphincter muscles requiring rectal dressings for use following prophylactic enema procedures. For these purposes, the medical arts field has recognized the need to provide disposable rectal area dressings for the control of inadvertent discharge of bodily fluids in the rectal perineal portion of the body. But these dressings have often proved to be inadequate in many cases.
Heretofore, it has been common to employ rectal napkins fabricated out of cellulose fibers or cotton for use in the control of inadvertent rectal discharge. In such known napkin arrangements, layers of cloth and absorbent cellulose fiber or cotton materials are commonly formed into pads of planar configuration which are positioned in the natal cleft in the rectal area adjacent the anus. A disposable napkin arrangement of this type is exemplified by the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. Re. 24,385 to Flanders. This patent discloses a napkin arrangement formed of a pad of uniform thickness including exterior cloth facing members which enclose an absorbent material. The pad is adapted for insertion edgewise into the "human anal declivity" opposing the anus where it is held in position by a "gripping action" of the skin surfaces in the declivity. To this end, the pad is provided with an interior edge surface, which conforms to the curvature of the innermost portion of the anal declivity, and an exterior edge portion, which conforms to the curvature of the outermost points of contact of the skin forming the anal declivity. The Flanders patent asserts that this arrangement attains a maximal coaptative engagement of the napkin and the skin surfaces in the crotch region of the body to effect a secure placement of the napkin.
In general, anal napkins such as are exemplified by Flanders have not proven entirely satisfactory in practice. It will be appreciated, for example, that the exterior surfaces of such napkins abrasively contact the skin surfaces of the natal cleft when the person using the napkin is ambulatory. This has a tendency to irritate the skin of the rectal perineal body portion, causing chafing and related skin disorders. Furthermore, any movement of the napkin from the precise position adjacent the anus, which may be occasioned by activity of the person using the napkin, limits the effectiveness of the napkin in preventing inadvertent fecal discharge.
Another prior art arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,335 to Matrullo. This patent discloses an anal filter fabricated of flexible materials which may be conformingly arranged adjacent the anus for absorption of rectal discharge. The anal filter includes a base layer made of porous flexible material and an absorbent rectal facing layer of "fluffy" non-woven fibrous material. The anal filter is positioned in overlying relation with respect to the anus by "non-adhesive" adherence of the fibrous material layer. Although the Matrullo arrangement operates satisfactorily in theory, practical difficulties are presented associated with chafing and irritation as in prior art napkin arrangements by reason of the mechanical adherence of the "fluffy" non-woven fibrous layer of the filter. Further difficulties are presented in positioning the filter in secure relation to the anus in order to prevent inadvertent rectal discharge.
An alternative approach of the prior art is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,489 to Brown, where there is disclosed a device for insertion into the anus to block undesirable rectal discharge. Brown's device comprises a stiff but relatively slender stem which is provided with an intrarectal anchoring member of a conical configuration at one end and a mass of fibrous absorbent material at an opposing terminal end. The conical anchoring member of the device is inserted through the anus into the rectum in order to position the fibrous material adjacent the anus for absorption of rectal discharge. In general, rectal insertion devices in accordance with the teachings of Brown, have not proven satisfactory as they require that a patient have properly developed anal sphincter muscles to secure the device in proper position adjacent the anus. Where the spincter muscles are paralyzed, malformed or otherwise impaired, such devices are ineffective. Moreover, in order for such devices to function properly, they must be securely positioned against movement relative to the anus, which is difficult to attain where a patient is active and mobile. In addition, activities of a person using the device will also occasion irritation in the anal canal of the rectum by reason of movement of the device.
Insofar as applicants are aware, other teachings of the art are primarily directed to dressings for the absorption of a woman's menstrual discharge and as such do not address the physiological requirements for rectal area dressings. Such vaginal area dressings are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,072,151 to Levine and 3,906,952 to Zamist.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved rectal area dressing.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a rectal area dressing including improved design features which attain coaptative non-abrasive arrangement of the dressing on the perineum portion of the body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rectal area dressing having improved design features which facilitate positioning of the dressing in conforming relation on the perineum portion of the body which may be secured in position without interference with a person's normal physical activity.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rectal area dressing having improved manufacturing advantages to permit inexpensive fabrication of a dressing which is readily disposable.